HARLINGEN — One local dancer will be spending Thanksgiving in New York this year.
Harlingen High School student Natasha Trevino will be taking part in the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade next week.
Trevino is a senior and a member of the Cardettes.
This will be the second year in a row Trevino will perform in New York.
Trevino is currently a colonel of the Cardettes and will be the only one from her dance team to travel to New York this year.
Trevino didn’t start dancing until her freshman year when she decided to try out for the Cardettes.
Trevino said she tried out with no previous dance experience.
According to her father, Orlando, she picked up dancing fairly quickly.
Trevino said dancers are given a chance to qualify to take part in the parade and she made the cut for the second time.
Trevino said every year, the dancers are given a theme.
Last year was the parade’s 90th anniversary and the dancers celebrated with a birthday-themed performance.
“It was really fun and really cold,” Trevino said. “It was life changing.”
Trevino will be leaving for New York tomorrow with last year’s experience under her belt.
“I feel a little bit more confident,” Trevino said. “I’m not going in blind.”
Trevino said she is not sure of this year’s theme, but will find out upon arrival in New York.
Dancers are sent the routine and videos in advance to prepare for their performance.
Trevino said dancers are expected to have the performance down and memorized by the time they come together in New York.
“It’s just a matter of putting us together,” Trevino said.
Trevino wants to try out for the dance team at Texas A&M where she plans to attend next year and major in business.
– The original parade was only six miles long
– The huge balloons have pilots that must be capable of walking backward the whole parade without falling
– From 1924 to 1926 animals were borrowed from the Central Park Zoo to take part in the parade
– Character balloons debuted in 1927, the first character balloon was Felix the Cat
– It cost at least $190,000 for a balloon to be made and requires 90 handlers
